Opioid addiction is a disease of the brain. Through overuse of opioids–whether prescribed medications or illicit drugs the chemistry of the brain is changed. It no longer is able to sufficiently produce its own opioids, known as endorphins, and therefore, signals a person to seek the drug in order to feel “normal.” Medication assisted treatment regulates the brain’s demand for opioids, allowing the person to learn skills to deal with triggers, life stressors, and cravings. The Recovery Stabilization Program, a six-month or longer medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction, was designed based on this science. The expert treatment team is experienced, compassionate and non-judgmental. They know firsthand that treatment works, and they offer a stigma-free zone for those in recovery.

When you’re ready, we’re ready.

The Recovery Stabilization Program is led by Care New England’s (CNE) Butler Hospital and Care New England Medical Group physicians and clinicians who are specialists in mental health and substance use disorders. It is an outpatient service that provides people direct access to all of CNE’s substance use treatment services. Your recovery support team may include a physician, nurse, therapist, and case worker. They will transition you to different levels of care, such as inpatient, partial hospital or ambulatory detoxification, depending on your need. Your team will follow your care and fully support you regardless of what additional services are required as part of your recovery process.

You are referred for opioid use treatment by your primary care provider or one of your specialists.

You bring yourself, perhaps with help from family or friends, to Butler Hospital’s Emergency Department, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or The Providence Center’s Patient Assessment Services, open weekdays and Saturdays. (Note: If you or someone you know is at risk for overdose, please call 911 or proceed to the nearest medical hospital emergency department.)

During the extended treatment period, your recovery stabilization team is focused on medication regulation to address symptoms; group and individual therapies for skill development and coping strategies; and social services assistance, as appropriate, for overall health recovery. The goal is for patients to return to their primary care provider for with ongoing medication management, with the support of a therapist and other community services, as recommended.

Additionally, the Recovery Stabilization Program provides a direct link to any of CNE’s substance use treatment services to provide comprehensive care throughout your recovery. If there is increased risk of relapse or you do relapse, the team will coordinate transitioning you to one of our more intensive treatment programs. This may mean being admitted to Butler Hospital’s inpatient addictions unit, outpatient detoxification, or our Alcohol and Drug Addiction Partial Hospital Program. Your clinical team will work to find the treatments which are right for you.

Your treatment team will be led by a physician trained in medication assisted treatment of opioids. The doctor will work with you over the treatment period to determine what type of prescribed medication is right for you and establish the appropriate dosing levels. You will also be assigned a therapist, and in some cases, a nurse and case worker as well. In their various roles they will adjust your medications, conduct group and individual therapy sessions, and help you find community support services, as part of your health recovery journey. Should you be transferred to another treatment program, your team follows your progress and is connected to your clinicians to inform your treatment plan.

Depending on which location is more convenient, you will be scheduled for appointments a couple times a week in either Providence or North Kingstown. Coordinated in blocks of time, one or more of the following will occur: meet with a therapist; attend a group meeting; speak with the physician; or setup support services with your case worker. Appointment blocks are made Monday through Saturday, between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Your session will last one to three hours, depending on what appointments are scheduled.

Your physician will prescribe the medication and dosage. You will pick up the prescription at a community pharmacy we have identified as having inventory, and we will check insurance coverage, as appropriate. Initially, prescriptions will be written for a limited number of doses and you will need to come to our offices for renewals. As you progress in your recovery, you will attend program less frequently and become more independent in managing your prescriptions. The goal is to transition your medication management to a primary care provider (PCP), who can work with you long term. When your PCP has questions, he/she will connect with your recovery stabilization team for consultation.

Patients are responsible to coordinate their own transportation; however, a case worker will assist those who do not have a ride readily available. Both locations have a bus stop at the facility and bus passes may be available.

We offer the opportunity for your family to be included in your treatment. Family education is provided, as well as information about other community resources your family members may consider.

Center of Excellence Designation

Care New England is a designated by the State of Rhode Island as a Center of Excellence for medication assisted treatment for opioid addiction. As part of this recognition, in June 2017, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities awarded $242,224.00 in grant monies to Care New England (CNE). The monies will support providing treatment to Medicaid covered Rhode Islanders by subsidizing the salaries of the staff of our Recovery Stabilization Program, opened in October, 2017. Additionally, CNE is training Rhode Island-based primary care providers in the evidence-based practices of medication management for addiction treatment.